The Government has published the heads of a bill that will set up a new external oversight body for the Defence Forces.

The new body will oversee, monitor, and advise the Minister for Defence on human-resources issues in the Defence Forces.

The oversight body was a key recommendation made in a report by an Independent Review Group on dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces.

The report described the organisation’s HR policies and procedures as “out of date”, and not fit for tackling unacceptable behaviour, such as bullying, discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment.

Other amendments

The Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023 also provides a statutory basis for the minister to authorise military representative associations to associate with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

In addition, the bill proposes a number of miscellaneous amendments to the Defence Acts – including the protection of the term ‘Óglaigh na hÉireann’.

The proposals would also give the Director of Military Prosecutions the power to appoint civilian prosecutors to assist at courts-martial.

The Department of Defence says that a number of other legislative commitments on defence policy and the Defence Forces will be dealt with in separate legislative proposals this year.